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Border Patrol Agent (BPA) – Experienced (GL-9 GS-11)
Discover these attractive, higher-paid positions in federal law enforcement with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Your current or previous law enforcement experience could qualify you for this career opportunity with the leading federal agency responsible for securing our borders and protecting our country.
You may qualify for these higher-graded positions as a Border Patrol Agent (BPA) if you have current or previous law enforcement experience. This experience could have been gained in military police assignments or in a state or local law enforcement agency. See the job duties section to check if these federal law enforcement opportunities interest you, and the qualifications section to see if you are eligible.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The assigned duty stations may include various regions along the Southwest border, including prioritized locations, when an offer is made. Duty station assignments by the U.S. Border Patrol are based on operational needs and may not align with the candidates’ initial preferences. A transfer may become necessary.
EARN UP TO $30,000 IN RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES — Newly appointed Border Patrol Agents receive a bonus of $20,000. The first $10,000 is paid upon successful completion of training at the Border Patrol Academy, the remaining amount is fully paid after completing a three-year service agreement. New BPAs accepting a prioritized position are eligible for an additional $10,000.
The U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) offers interested individuals a career in law enforcement with an elite unit of highly qualified professionals whose camaraderie, pride, and purpose define daily operations to protect America.
If you are looking for exciting and rewarding work that pays excellently and offers exceptional federal benefits, now is the time to take the next step. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is hiring immediately for these full-time career opportunities in law enforcement (LEO).
Salary and Benefits:
The starting salary for newly appointed Border Patrol Agents ranges from:
Base Salary: GL-9/GS-11 $63,148 – $120,145 annually
Allowances: Vary depending on duty location.
Overtime Pay: Up to 25%
The duty location affects salary rates; locality pay for federal law enforcement officials is higher in some areas than others. A fully trained BPA may qualify for up to an additional 25% of base salary under the BPA Pay Reform Act of 2014. This is a career ladder position with a grade-level progression from GL-9 to GS-11 to GS-12. You are eligible for promotion to the next higher grade level (without reapplication) once you have successfully completed 52 weeks at the lower grade.
All Border Patrol Agents can choose from a range of federal employment benefits, including health and insurance plans, a generous annual and sick leave program, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, a retirement plan similar to traditional and ROTH 401(k) offerings.
Duties and Responsibilities:
As a BPA, you are part of our workforce of over 60,000 employees who protect the American people by securing our borders, deterring illegal activity, and promoting the nation’s economic prosperity. Being a BPA makes you a valued member of the federal law enforcement profession.
Typical duties include:
- Detecting and interviewing persons suspected of violating immigration and customs laws, and inspecting documents and possessions to determine citizenship or violations.
- Preventing and apprehending illegal immigrants and their smugglers at or near the borders by maintaining surveillance from concealed positions, including using infrared scopes in nighttime operations.
- Interpreting and tracking footprints, markings, and other physical evidence of illegal entry by persons or contraband.
- Conducting control operations on farms, in buildings, during traffic stops, city patrols, and transportation checks.
- Patrolling international borders and coastal waters using a variety of government assets such as vehicles, horses, boats, watercraft, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles.
Qualifications:
GL-9: You qualify at the GL-9 level if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level with duties including:
- Searching detained individuals, their vehicles, and their immediate surroundings for weapons, contraband, money, and other evidence.
- Arresting, physically restraining, or working with law enforcement officials to identify or arrest violators.
- Proficiency with firearms, preparing investigative reports, serving court orders (e.g., warrants, subpoenas), and gathering evidence for judicial proceedings.
If you have current or prior experience in law enforcement or military police, you may qualify for the GS-11 level.
GS-11: You qualify at the GS-11 level if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, with state or federal authority to enforce laws, make arrests, and investigate crimes:
- Using intelligence to track illegal operations, criminal activity, threats to the nation, and/or contraband.
- Investigating fraud, smuggling, criminal activity, threats to the nation, and/or illegal operations to determine sources and patterns.
- Arresting violators using various forms of complex technology such as surveillance, detection, situational awareness systems, and/or communications equipment.
This experience is combined with duties such as: making arrests and exercising good judgment with firearms; effectively and courteously dealing with individuals in law enforcement matters; analyzing information quickly and making timely decisions; or developing and maintaining contacts with a network of informants.
There are no education equivalents for Border Patrol Agent positions at the GL-9 or GS-11 grade levels.
Further Requirements:
- Citizenship: You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
- Residency: You must have been a primary resident of the U.S. (including legally declared U.S. territories) for at least three of the last five years.
- Age Limitation: Under Public Law 100-238, this position is covered under law enforcement retirement provisions. Candidates must be referred for selection as a Border Patrol Agent before reaching their 40th birthday, in accordance with Department of Homeland Security Directive 251-03. The age limitation may not apply if you are currently serving or have served in a civilian, non-military federal law enforcement position covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C. 8412(d).
- Veterans’ Preference: You may also be eligible for an exception under the Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA). The age limit does not apply if you meet the requirements for veterans’ preference.
Formal Training:
Upon hiring, you will be sent for about six months to the U.S. Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, New Mexico to receive intensive instruction in immigration and nationality laws, law enforcement, and USBP-specific operations, driver training, physical techniques, firearms use, and other courses. Border patrol work requires the ability to speak and read both Spanish and English. Spanish language proficiency is ensured through academy training.
